Short Summary

THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT, CONCERNED OVER THE INCREASE IN ROAD DEATHS IN THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY) ANNOUNCED A NEW MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT ON 16,000 KILOMETRES (ABOUT 10,000 MILES) OF THE COUNTRY'S ROADS.

Description

1.
GV HIGHWAY
0.05

2.
TRACKING SHOT OF CAR ABOUT TO OVERTAKE LORRY
0.10

3.
CU SIGN "100"
0.13

4.
LV CARS FOLLOWING LORRY AROUND BEND
0.18

5.
CU SIGN
0.19

6.
GV SIGNS ON SIDE OF ROAD "80" AND "60"
0.26

7.
GV PARKED CAR TRANSPORTER PAN TO ROAD AND TRAFFIC (2 SHOTS)
0.43

8.
SV SIGN
0.45

9.
GV & SV BUS ALONG ROAD
0.53

10.
CU SIGN
0.54

11.
SV CAR FOLLOWING TRACTOR UP HILL
1.03

12.
TRACKING SHOT UP HILL WITH SIGNS ON ROADSIDE
1.04

Initials RJ/VS/TR/OS RJ/VS/TR/PC

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT, CONCERNED OVER THE INCREASE IN ROAD DEATHS IN THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY) ANNOUNCED A NEW MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT ON 16,000 KILOMETRES (ABOUT 10,000 MILES) OF THE COUNTRY'S ROADS. IN FUTURE THE MAXIMUM SPEED WILL BE 110 KM/H (ABOUT 70 M.P.H.). BEFORE THERE WAS NO SPEED LIMIT.

A RECORD NUMBER OF JUST OVER 14,700 PEOPLE WERE KILL IN ACCIDENTS ON FRANCE'S ROADS LAST YEAR. IN THE FIRST TWO MONTHS THIS YEAR THE DEATH TOLL WAS 20 MORE THAN FOR THE SAME PERIOD OF 1969.

ANNOUNCING THE NEW MEASURES, PRIME MINISTER JACQUES CHANBAN-DELMAS SAID THAT IT WOULD TAKE BETWEEN THREE DAYS AND THREE WEEKS BEFORE SIGNS WERE ERECTED ALONG ROADWAYS. HE APPEALED TO MOTORISTS TO OBSERVE THE NEW SPEED LIMIT IN THE MEANTIME.....ESPECIALLY OVER THE EASTER HOLIDAYS.

THE PRIME MINISTER SAID THE NEW MEASURES WOULD BE ON TRIAL UNTIL OCTOBER AND THEN THE RESULTS WOULD BE EXAMINED AND A DECISION MADE WHETHER TO RETAIN THE LIMIT....INCREASE IT OR LOWER IT.

A RECENT SURVEY IN FRANCE SHOWED THAT AN OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF MOTORISTS WERE IN FAVOUR OF A SPEED LIMIT.